Switched Again A6 COMPLETE
by FullMoonDreams
Summary: Richard decides that Harrison is ready for a second rewind and an approaching storm gives him a chance to test his theory. Manipulating events in every way he can, Richard does not bank on Jack interfering too, with devastating consequences for everyone.
1. Chapter One

_Disclaimer – I do not have the copyright for the characters etc. Just borrowing them for a while._ _The story is set after the conclusion of season one of the show._

_This story is a sequel to The Switch and I would suggest checking out that story first. The full list of stories and the reading order is in my user profile. Cassie and Matt are my own inventions and first appeared in The Deception._

_I love hearing from people who read any of my stories so be sure to leave a review if you do read this. Incidentally I have set up a Tru Calling C2 if you want to check it out in my user profile. If you like Harrison focused fics I hope you will consider subscribing._

_Thanks and enjoy!_

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**_Switched Again_**

**Chapter One**

A fine rain was falling as Jack stood at the meeting place waiting impatiently for Richard Davies to appear. He glanced at his watch repeatedly. He'd arrived a little early but even taking that into account, Richard was late in joining him. He was about to give up entirely and call it a night when the car finally pulled up at the curb. The door swung open and Jack climbed into the vehicle. He ran his hand through his hair, a subtle hint to his mentor that he was now rather damp from the rain he had been forced to wait in. He was not surprised when Richard ignored the gesture.

"I think he's ready," Richard said, foregoing any form of greeting.

"You're sure?" Jack asked hesitantly. From what he had seen of Harrison in recent weeks he wasn't sure that he had changed his way of thinking enough for what Richard had in mind.

"Harrison and Tru are barely speaking to each other right now. There are storms coming in and if Harrison should rewind now…"

"He won't save the victim?" Jack questioned. He had noticed the continuing strain between the siblings even from a distance, but he was not sure that it was enough for what Richard had in mind.

"Not if the victim is someone he doesn't think deserves to live," Richard suggested with a sly smile.

"But we can't control who asks for help," Jack pointed out. "There's no real pattern."

"On the contrary, Elise believed that it was people who died before their time who asked. Tru thinks the same thing," Richard advised him.

"I know that," Jack replied. "But how can we make sure that the person who dies is someone who Harrison would let die? Most of the people who ask for help are strangers."

"We make sure that someone dies before their time," Richard answered with a casual shrug.

"You don't mean…?" Jack's voice faltered. Keeping the balance was one thing, but to actively go out and find someone to die to trigger a rewind day. It was not something he had expected Richard to suggest, but he was in too deep to back out now.

"That's exactly what I mean," Richard said whilst glancing out the window to see the rain that was coming down harder now. "And I have just the person in mind."

"Who would that be?" Jack asked, curious despite his misgivings.

* * *

"Tru's on the phone for you," Cassie called across the room to Harrison.

Looking up from where he was eating his breakfast he quickly shook his head. Cassie sighed before making his excuses to Tru. She could tell she didn't believe her any more than she had any other time she had called in the last week, but Cassie wasn't going to force Harrison onto the line.

"You have to talk to her some time," Cassie pointed out after she had hung up.

"I will," Harrison muttered. "Just not yet. She's got to learn not to interfere in my life like she has been doing."

"I think she's learnt that pretty well already," Cassie replied. "It's been over a week now. Have you ever gone that long without talking to her?"

"Sure."

"After an argument?"

"I'm not phoning her back so give it up," Harrison snapped.

Cassie sighed again and took his advice. There was no point in letting his problems with his sister stretch into their own relationship. She just hoped that he and Tru would sort out their differences soon because she was getting very tired of seeing her boyfriend as miserable as he had been in the last week.

* * *

"He won't come to the phone," Tru said after hanging up.

"Just give him time," Davis advised her.

"It's been a week," Tru stressed. "I thought he'd have calmed down by now. He's never been the type to hold grudges this long."

"You have to admit that he has good reason to be mad at you," Davis pointed out.

"I thought it was for the best," Tru replied with a sigh. "Lindsay was back and she wanted to make a go of things with Harrison again. Cassie was planning on leaving for a new job…I thought I was doing the right thing."

"But you know how he feels about Cassie," said Davis.

"Better than he does," Tru agreed. She still hadn't managed to forget the look on her younger brother's face the day she had found him with Cassie's dead body in his arms. She just wished she had remembered that before encouraging Lindsay in her efforts to win him back.

"Just give him time," Davis repeated, patting Tru's arm consolingly. "He'll come around. Cassie isn't holding a grudge is she?"

"Not exactly," Tru admitted. "But she's not been as friendly as she had been. I've pretty much screwed up our friendship too; she's speaking to me, but she's not going to force Harrison to talk to me when he doesn't want to."

"Just give him some more time."

Tru nodded and carried on working, her mind no more on her job now than it had been before she had tried to phone her brother.

* * *

Later that afternoon Harrison arrived back at Cassie's apartment, now his home too, after another fruitless job hunting afternoon. She was a worse nag about his getting a proper job than his father and Tru combined, but she had insisted that if he was going to be living with her he would have to get a job and pay part of the rent.

Tru had been paying his rent for months at his own place, at least most of the time. His father had also paid a few of the bills but he didn't want to ask him for money. He had never had a problem asking Tru for money but for some reason he didn't like asking his father so the only times his father had paid the bills for him had been when he had offered. So with a choice between asking Tru for money or moving in with Cassie, it had been no contest and he had moved all his belongings to Cassie's apartment as soon as he realised he didn't have the funds to pay the rent himself. Now he just had to find a new job to pay his share, something that was easier said than done.

Finding the door locked he took out his key while wondering if Cassie had altered her shift at the diner because she should have been back a couple of hours ago.

Seeing the apartment was deserted he decided to try and appease Cassie by cooking dinner, reasoning that it might make up for the fact he still had no job.

He was only just getting started when the door opened and Cassie walked in.

"What the hell!" he exclaimed at seeing her in the doorway. The right side of her face was covered in the beginnings of bruises and there was a long gash down her cheek. Her upper lip had also been cut and looked painfully swollen. She had clearly been to the hospital as there were neat little stitches holding the deeper cuts closed. Her eyes were red and she looked shaky as she shut the door behind her.

Dropping the groceries he had picked up Harrison hurried across the room.

"What happened?" he asked with concern. "Why didn't you call me?"

Cassie managed to get only one word out before she dissolved into tears. "Matt."  
Scowling Harrison guided Cassie over to the sofa and sat her down. He'd only met Cassie's ex once, on the night Cassie had almost drowned after the brutal man had lost his temper with her following Tru causing a scene in a restaurant whilst they had been on a date. It had also been the night he and Cassie had got together.

He hadn't thought there had been anything serious between Cassie and Matt though. As far as he knew they had only been casual acquaintances and it had been their first date that Tru had spectacularly ruined by throwing a bowl of soup over Cassie.

He wanted to question Cassie more but she was in no state to answer his queries at the moment.

Finally Cassie quietened her sobs to an embarrassed sniffle. "He just turned up as I was leaving work," she explained. "I turned the corner and there he was."

"He should be in jail," Harrison scowled.

"He's just been released," Cassie continued. "He lost his job while he was serving time for assaulting me and…"

"And he blames you for it," Harrison concluded. "They should've thrown away the key. Have you called the police?"

"They came to the hospital while I was being stitched up," Cassie nodded. "I don't know if they'll find him though. Someone passing by heard me scream and he took off. He'll know they're looking for him."

"Your face is bleeding again," Harrison said on seeing a thin trickle of blood was running from the top of the longest gash. "Have you got anything in the bathroom for it?"

"No," Cassie shook her head.

"I'll go to the store," Harrison said, standing up.

"You're going out?" Cassie asked, her worry clear on her face.

"Lock the door after me," Harrison said as he stood up. Leaning down he gave her a quick kiss on the unbruised side of her face before leaving to get supplies. Ten minutes later he was walking back along the block, his head down from the pouring rain, antiseptic and plasters obtained. He didn't expect to feel a strong hand grab him by the arm and yank him into a shadowy alley.

"Well, well, if it isn't the hero." The vaguely familiar voice of Cassie's ex sounded as menacing as ever in the eerie twilight.

Harrison struggled to free himself but it was obvious that Matt had spent his time in prison working out and he was no match for the much larger man. The pure fury on Matt's face told Harrison he was in more trouble than he could ever remember being in before. Still there was no point in just letting him win.

"Get your hands off me," Harrison yelled whilst hoping that someone would hear him like they had heard Cassie earlier that day, someone with the sense to check and see what was happening. The street may have been deserted but there were homes nearby and surely someone would hear sounds of a fight.

"Now you wouldn't want to be shouting like that," Matt advised with a shake of his head. "This is just a little payback for the three of you and you wouldn't want to add to it."

"Three?" Harrison questioned before realising that he was including Tru in the numbers. He had to warn her, but first he had to get himself out of trouble. He looked at Matt and knew instantly that he was not going to be able to talk his way out of this. The man was harbouring the rage that had built up since their last encounter and nothing he could say would make a difference…He wanted payback and with no one coming to investigate he was going to get it.

The first blow to the gut brought Harrison to his knees on the wet and muddy floor. He gasped and clutched his stomach as he tried to get his wind back. He hadn't recovered from the first blow when the second to the jaw sent him spinning into the wall behind him.

He slid down the wall and cautiously brought his hand up to his jaw, moving his tongue about his mouth and realised that a few of his teeth had been loosened although luckily he hadn't actually lost any. He spat blood onto the pavement and felt his stomach churn.  
He hadn't managed to stand up again when he felt himself being dragged back to his feet from behind by the collar of his shirt. Struggling to release himself, he tried to elbow Matt but his blows had no effect on the man who merely laughed them off before throwing him across the alley and into the spilled trash.

Harrison lay still, hoping it was over, but Matt was not quite done yet and yanked him up again to deliver one final blow that set Harrison's head reeling. The only things that kept him from slipping into blessed unconsciousness was the knowledge that Cassie would be worried about him if he didn't get back to her soon and that he had to warn Tru that she was next.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Matt had vanished into the shadows by the time Harrison managed to get to his feet and hurry as fast as he could the remaining distance home.

He opened the door to see the startled gaze of Cassie who was sitting where he had left her on the sofa.

"Got to call Tru," he mumbled as he made his way to the phone.

He dialled her cell phone and got the answering service. His muddled mind finally recalled her work number and he was relieved to hear her pick up the phone in the morgue. He quickly gave her the rundown on what had happened. On hearing what had already happened Tru insisted he stay home instead of coming to the morgue; he didn't like the idea but Tru assured him that Davis was with her, she promised to take care and eventually Harrison agreed.

Settling back on the sofa he joked weakly that he hadn't purchased enough medical supplies but neither he nor Cassie wanted to go outside again.

A few hours later Harrison and Cassie, both battered and bruised, had settled down to watch a movie although neither was really concentrating and Harrison kept looking towards the phone as though expecting it to ring.

Finally, as though his persistent glances had paid off, it rang aloud and he leapt up from the sofa clutching his side at the pain his movement had caused.

"Hello?" he answered the phone on the second ring.

"He's at the morgue," a male voice whispered before the line went dead.

Harrison looked at the phone a moment before keying in the digits that would tell him the caller's number; he was not surprised to find that the number had been withheld.

"I've got to go to the morgue," Harrison said, grabbing his jacket on the way to the door.

"Who was that?" Cassie asked.

"He didn't say. Just said 'he's at the morgue'"

"Matt?"

"Must be," Harrison replied while struggling to get his jacket back on.

"Harrison you can't!" Cassie exclaimed, getting up from her own seat and moving to bar the doorway. "It's a trap. That was probably Matt himself setting you up."

"He's already had a piece of me, why go to the trouble of getting me to the morgue?"

"You don't think it's odd that someone calls to tell you he's there?"

"I can't leave her to face him on her own," Harrison said.

"So you do think it's a trap?"

Harrison nodded. It was obvious it was a set up, the only thing he didn't know was who was going to spring the trap when he got there.

"I'm coming with you," Cassie said as she grabbed her own coat from the hook on the wall next to the door.

"No!" Harrison practically shouted.

"You can't go on your own. It's a trap," Cassie cried.

"If it's a trap at least I know in advance," Harrison pointed out. "And only one of us is going to be walking into it, and it's not you."

"But…"

"No."

Harrison gently moved Cassie aside and walked past her out the door. "Don't follow me," he said as he shut the door behind him.

* * *

The storm that had been threatening to break all afternoon was raging in full spectacular glory by the time that Harrison reached the morgue. 

He had kept his eyes peeled all the way but there was no sign of Matt anywhere about. Pushing open the door to the morgue he breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Tru sitting at her desk talking with Davis. Both looked perfectly well and much the same as the last time he had seen them.

He walked across the room to them. Davis was the first to spot him.

"Harrison," he greeted him with an uneasy glance at Tru.

Tru turned and gasped in shock at the state of her brother with his hair matted by the rain and water running down his bruised and cut face. She sat still, mentally cataloguing his injuries for almost a full minute before she jumped up from her seat and threw her arms around him.

"Argh," Harrison groaned as he felt another stab of pain from her embrace.

"Sorry Harry," Tru apologised, stepping back from him. He could see that her eyes were teary and all at once he knew that it didn't matter what she had done last week to meddle in his life, she was still his favourite sister and he loved her more than anyone else in the world. He knew in that moment he had forgiven her for interfering and also suspected that it would be a long time before she would meddle in his life again.

"It's okay," Harrison replied, moving to one of the chairs. "It hurts worse than it looks," he joked.

"I told you I'd be careful," Tru said, sitting back down beside him. "You didn't have to come all the way over here. You should be with Cassie."

"It's not like you're in any condition for the whole knight in shining armour thing," Davis added. "Besides he's not going to be hurting Tru anyway."

"I got a call to say he was here," Harrison explained. "I had to come and see if you were okay."

"I'm fine," Tru replied. "Like Davis said, he's not going to be hurting me or anyone else now."

"What do you mean?" Harrison asked with a feeling that he was missing something but was unsure as to what.

"He's through there," Tru said with a nod towards the main room.

"You don't mean he's in one of…?" Harrison's gaze followed Tru's. "What happened?"

"He was brought in about twenty minutes ago," Davis explained. "Stabbed."

"Are you sure it's him?" Harrison asked. "Who killed him?"

"Yes it's him," Tru answered. "And no one knows who killed him. He was found dead in an alley not far from Cassie's apartment."

"He must have been killed just after I left," Harrison thought aloud. "He was coming after you but never made it out the alley."

"Oh God Harry," Tru shuddered. "It could so easily have been you in here."

"You know I'm not that easy to kill," Harrison joked.

"You have to tell the police what you know," Davis said.

Harrison nodded with another glance into the other room. "I have to see him," he said with determination. "I have to know he's really gone so I can tell Cassie."

"It's definitely him," Tru said. "You don't have to see him."

"I have to," Harrison insisted.

"Okay," Tru agreed and before taking him through to the other room.

Looking down at Matt's face Harrison felt a sense of relief.

A phone rang in the other room and Davis called for Tru to go speak with the caller.

Harrison turned away from the body, intending to follow after Tru, when a feeling he had had once before came over him.

The air stilled and every sound in the room seemed to come from a distance, every sound except that of Matt turning towards him and whispering "help me." Harrison felt the room fall away from him as his life span out of control and time rewound.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Harrison sat up in bed with a jerk and felt momentary surprise that his injuries were no longer there. No cuts or bruises and when he ran his tongue over his teeth sure enough none of them were loose.

He looked at Cassie lying asleep beside him. Her face was turned away and he reached towards her to turn her over and check that her own injuries had also vanished, waking her up in the process. She mumbled something incoherent looking less than happy at being woken so suddenly.

Harrison was not bothered in the slightest; his joy at getting a second chance at the day was enough to make up for Cassie's early morning blues.

"What's going on?" she asked in confusion.

"The day's rewound," Harrison exclaimed.

"How do you know that?" Cassie questioned. "You're not even speaking to Tru at the moment."

"Not her day, mine," Harrison grinned. "And we've made up anyway."

"When?" Cassie asked.

"Yesterday," Harrison answered. "Or rather today but the first time around."

"Okaaaay," Cassie drawled while edging away from the ecstatic Harrison. "And since when do you share your sister's dubious gift for reliving days?"

"I don't normally," Harrison replied frowning as he remembered the last time it had happened. They had never come up with an explanation for the sudden switch and since it hadn't happened again they had all assumed it was a one off fluke. "It's only happened to me once before."

"You never mentioned it," Cassie said.

"The day was a bit of a disaster," Harrison muttered. "I didn't know anything about the victim and Tru had to help out doing most of the work. It was a relief when it didn't happen again."

"So why are you so happy today?"

"Because yesterday was a disaster already," Harrison answered with uncharacteristic anger. "Matt turned up for payback yesterday."

"Matt?" Cassie paled. "He's out of jail?"

"Just," Harrison nodded. "He came after both of us and was going for Tru next."

"What did he do?" Cassie asked though her tone gave away that she had a fair idea of what had happened already.

"Let's just say we needed to stock up on medical supplies here," Harrison said. "But this time we have advance warning and things are gonna be different."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I'm picking you up from work," Harrison said. "He was waiting for you at the end of your shift yesterday."

"What else?"

"I've got to warn Tru. He's after her too," Harrison replied reaching for the phone. He started to dial the number before stopping and replacing the receiver.

"What is it?" Cassie asked when he didn't pick up the phone again. "I thought you said you made it up with Tru?"

"She won't remember yesterday," Harrison said absently. "But that's not why I stopped. There's something else."

"Yes?"

"Matt's the one who asked for help yesterday."

"He was killed yesterday? By who?"

"I don't know. I got an anonymous call saying he was at the morgue. When I got there he was there all right. Dead. Then he asked me for help and the day rewound."

"Somehow I don't think he'll want your help," Cassie pointed out with a rueful smile.

"Tru 'll say to help him anyway," Harrison muttered. "Like he deserves it just because he asked."

"You still have to warn her," Cassie insisted reaching for the phone.

"If I tell her I'm reliving the day she'll want to know who asked for help."

"You _have_ to tell her."

"I'll just tell her he's back," Harrison compromised. "We'll say the police warned us he's been released and we're to keep an eye out for him. That they suspect he might want revenge."

He took the phone from Cassie and dialled Tru's number. She picked up the phone, delighted surprise evident in her voice when she heard Harrison on the line.

"So does this mean I'm forgiven for interfering?" she asked when Harrison had finished warning her about Matt's return.

"You know I can't hold a grudge forever," Harrison said. At least not against you, he amended silently. The same couldn't be said for Matt.

"So are you going to be stopping by later to catch up?" Tru asked.

"Sure, we'll stop by this evening," Harrison replied, daring her to say that Cassie was not included in the invitation.

"I'll see you both later then," Tru answered, her voice sounding at once relieved and happy.

Harrison hung up the phone a minute later and turned to Cassie again.

"So you're not going to save Matt then?" she asked.

"No," Harrison replied. His eyes hardened with the anger he still felt from the memories of the previous version of the day. "He'll only come after us again if he lives past today. He got what he deserved."

"That sounds like your father talking," Cassie replied.

"Sometimes I think my dad has the right idea about some things."

"Does he know about the rewind days?" Cassie asked curiously. It was not a topic of conversation that had ever come up before.

"I don't think so," Harrison replied after a moment's thought. "Tru doesn't tell people much at all. I'm sure she'd have mentioned if she'd told him."

"She told you and Davis."

"Davis figured it out for himself," Harrison replied with a laugh. "I took some convincing though."

"I wonder what he'd say about it if he knew," Cassie wondered, her mind obviously still on Richard.

"He'd probably not believe it," Harrison answered with a shrug. "And I have no intention of telling him. We're just starting to get our relationship back on track. This'll just make him think I've lost my mind."

"You're really not going to help Matt?" Cassie asked as she chewed her lower lip, a nervous habit that betrayed her concern.

"He's on his own," Harrison replied.

* * *

"It worked," Jack informed Richard as soon as he arrived at his apartment. 

"You're sure?"

"Tru just got a call from Harrison, warning her that Matt's back in town." He looked at the technical equipment that Richard had supplied him with that enabled him to listen in on Tru's phone calls. It had been invaluable from the start, far more so that Richard's somewhat critical advice.

"Damn," Richard muttered. "I was hoping their argument would stop him telling her about the rewind."

"He didn't tell her about it," Jack replied with a smirk. "Just fed her a line about the police tipping them off."

"She believed him?"

"Yeah," Jack replied. "She might not have done if she hadn't been so relieved to hear from him at all. But it made her careless."

"So Harrison is reliving the day without telling Tru." Richard grinned widely. "That means he isn't going to save Matt."

"Or he wants to keep Tru safe?" Jack suggested cautiously.

"I know my son. He's going to leave him to his fate," Richard argued. "And once he's let one victim slip away it'll be that much easier for him to let others go too."

"But the others won't be a thug who's just beaten up him and his girlfriend," Jack pointed out. "I think that might have made a bit of a difference in his attitude."

"It doesn't matter," Richard replied with a shake of his head. "Once one has been lost the rest will be easier. Besides, no one is entirely innocent. Something Harrison has been learning from me recently."

"Well for now we'd better see if he does anything to save him at all. What if he does try to save him?"

"Then we try again later and I don't lose my client," Richard replied with ease.

"A win, win situation."

"Exactly," Richard said as they both left the apartment and headed across town to find out what Harrison was going to do on this second version of the day.

* * *

Harrison ended up sitting in the diner for the whole of Cassie's shift. There was no sign of Matt but he wasn't taking any chances. 

"Are you going to order anything?" Beth, one of the other waitresses and a friend of Cassie, asked.

"Just another coffee, thanks," Harrison said, pushing his empty cup across the counter.

"Another coffee," Beth repeated with a roll of her eyes. "You're lucky the boss isn't in today. He wouldn't put up with you hanging here all afternoon without actually eating."

Harrison shrugged and grinned. "Must be my lucky day then."

Cassie stood listening to the exchange with a grin on her own face. She waited a moment until Beth was out of earshot and leaned across the counter.

"You're sure this whole rewind day isn't just a scam to get out of looking for a job?" she asked.

"Would I do that?" Harrison laughed.

"Yeah," Cassie answered after giving the matter a few seconds thought.

"Okay, you're right, I probably would," Harrison laughed again. "But I swear I'm telling the truth."

"Well there's not been any sign of Matt so hopefully you've scared him off," Cassie said with a roll of her eyes at the idea of Harrison actually managing to scare off anyone.

"As long as he's not going after Tru instead," Harrison replied with another worried glance towards the door as though he half expected Matt to burst in at any moment.

"You said he came after me first as I was leaving here," Cassie said. "Chances are he's waiting outside now, just like yesterday. He's arrogant enough to think he can take on both of us at once."

"He probably could," Harrison groaned thinking of the poor showing he had given in his own fight with the larger man.

Half an hour later Cassie finished her shift and they left the diner together.

"Do you see him?" Cassie asked Harrison who was looking behind them for the third time since leaving the diner.

"No," he replied. "Just a feeling that someone's watching us."

"As long as that's all he does," Cassie answered.

Harrison looked intently back down the block but there was no sign of anyone behind them, but still he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being observed. It was a feeling he had had a lot since Jack had started spying on him and his sister but most of the times he had known it was Tru who was the object of the unwanted attention, and not himself.

Now he knew what it was that Tru had been feeling on an almost daily basis the last few months.

Shivering slightly he hurried Cassie down the street towards their apartment.

* * *

Jack stepped out of the doorway a few minutes later when he knew the coast was clear.  
Harrison and Cassie had turned the corner at the end of the block and it was safe to leave his hiding place. He hadn't known that Harrison was getting as adept at sensing his presence as Tru was. He thought again just how much alike the brother and sister were and again he wondered if Richard was hoping for too much in trying to get Harrison to rewind and ignore the calling. 

Though he conceded, it appeared that Richard was right about today because from what he had seen Harrison had made no effort to track down Matt and the time of death was approaching fast.

An expert at spying on others he had spotted Matt, watching the diner some time ago. He had sensed immediately the moment that Matt's gaze fell on him from across the road.

Looking across the road and nodding almost imperceptibly he turned away to walk down the block and into a nearby bar.

He ordered a beer and wasn't surprised when Matt followed him inside a couple of minutes later.

"You want to get to them, then you're going about it in the wrong way," Jack said as soon as Matt had sat down and ordered a beer for himself.

"What would you know?" Matt replied taking a long drink from the bottle the barmaid put in front of him.

"I know more than you do," Jack said in a quiet and knowing voice. "You'd do well to listen."

"I'm listening," Matt answered, his eyes gleaming in anticipation.

* * *

The door to the morgue opened slowly. 

"Is that you Tru?" Davis called out from where he sat at his desk.

No reply came and he stood up to get a better view of the door.

"Who are you?" Davis asked the tall man standing in the doorway. "You're not supposed to be in here."

"I'm a friend of Tru's," Matt answered. "I thought she was working today."

"She's just stepped out," Davis replied cautiously. There was something about the man in front of him that he didn't trust, something dangerous that made him uneasy. Part of him hoped that Tru hurried back while another part wished her to stay away until the man looking casually around the morgue had gone.

"I'll wait for her outside," Matt said with a shrug and turned towards the door.  
Davis waited until he'd left before turning to the phone and calling Tru's cell phone.

"Tru?" he asked as soon as she answered the call. "I think that Matt person you mentioned has just stopped by."

"What do you mean, think?" Tru asked.

"He matched the description you gave me. He didn't leave his name but he was acting suspiciously."

"Do you know where he is now?"

"He said he was waiting for you outside," Davis replied.

"I'm almost there and I don't see him," Tru replied after a pause.

"I'm coming out there to meet you," Davis said and put the phone down before waiting for a response.

A feeling of dread came over him as he hurried out the doors and down the corridor.

Breathing in the cold night air Davis looked out into the rain. He didn't see Tru at first; it was only a crack of lightening that gave away her position.

Tru's phone lay near a pool of rainwater and she was lying in a pool of what Davis knew instinctively was blood. He rushed to her side but she was no longer moving and her eyes were glazed and staring ahead.

Davis cursed himself for not keeping Matt in the morgue.

He cursed that he had been too late.

And as his silent tears began to fall, he cursed that there was no one for Tru to ask for help from.


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four **

"You arrogant fool," Richard raged at Jack. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"He wasn't supposed to kill her," Jack said shocked at how quickly things had spiralled out of control.

"Damn right he wasn't," Richard yelled. "You know this means you'll no longer relive days at all?"

"You weren't that bothered when it was your wife," Jack retorted his own anger rising.

"That was different," Richard shouted. "I had no other option, and I didn't know until afterwards that the rewinds would stop. This time there was a choice, a better one, and you destroyed it."

"Maybe we can fix it," Jack suggested. "Harrison…"

"There's no guarantee the day will even rewind again for him," Richard hissed. "This is all trial and error and you could've just made the biggest error of all."

"I told him not to kill her," Jack stated.

"You shouldn't have even been speaking to him," Richard shouted. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I just thought…"

"You thought you'd stir things up a bit, make it a bit more interesting, a bit more exciting," Richard ranted as he paced the room.

"He wasn't meant to kill her," Jack repeated. "He was just going to scare her a bit and then I'd step in and see him off. Win back some of her trust."

"You fool," Richard said, this time in a quieter voice. "You were meant to do what I told you and nothing else."

"Do you think if I go the morgue she might ask _me_ for help?" Jack suggested.

"I don't know," Richard admitted. "She might, or she might ask Harrison. Or she could just be dead. There's no way of knowing."

"There's only one way to find out if she will ask for help," Jack replied. He stood up and walked towards the door. "We can even use this to our advantage if she does." Richard didn't reply or try to stop him as he left. This time he was on his own.

* * *

Harrison arrived at the morgue at the same time as Jack did; he'd hurried across town the minute Davis had called him. 

He knew the guilt at what had happened was reflected on his face, but was surprised to see a similar expression on Jack's face.

"Come to gloat have you?" Harrison spat as soon as he saw Jack turning the corner.

"No," Jack replied quietly. "I've come to see if she'll ask me for help."

"You?" Harrison stood still in astonishment. "What makes you imagine she'll ask _you_ to save her when she knows you're more likely to kill her than save her?"

"It's worth a try," Jack said. "Or she might ask _you_ of course."

"She's more likely to ask me than you," Harrison pointed out pushing his way through the doors and into the building. "Wait a minute," he said and stood still again just inside the corridor. "You know I've rewound and not Tru? What have you been doing all day?"

"Well I had a nice lunch down in that little café by the docks. Took in a movie this afternoon, had quite a relaxing day really." Jack grinned. "Since you weren't doing a great deal to save Matt I didn't have to do anything to stop you. You should rewind instead of Tru more often."

"You took the day off and still had time to find out that scumbag's first name?" Harrison asked, his suspicions rising with every minute.

"We're wasting time," Jack said as he pushed past Harrison and into the morgue. Harrison followed close behind him and was in time to hear Davis's cry of rage at the sight of Jack intruding in the morgue.

"Davis, stop," Harrison cried out as he watched Davis fly at Jack in a rage borne of grief. Although he was tempted to leave him to his fate, Harrison pulled Davis off of Jack and held his grip on his arms as he stopped pounding on Jack and shock set in once more.

"She's dead," Davis said quietly.

"She's going to ask me for help," Harrison said with determination. "She has to."

"I know you were asked once before but it was a fluke. We all agreed on that." Davis shook his head, unwilling to get his hopes up.

"It's happened again," Harrison replied. "Today is a rewind day already. She has to ask me."

"You mean this happened before and you didn't save her?" Davis asked accusingly.

"It was Matt who asked for my help yesterday," Harrison admitted. "I didn't tell Tru that though…It's all my fault."

"Why didn't you come to us?" Davis asked.

"Because I thought Tru might want to save Matt despite what he did yesterday," Harrison replied. "He beat up Cassie on her way home from work, then me, and he was going after Tru when he was stabbed. I've spent the day keeping Cassie safe and thought the warning would be enough to keep Tru safe too."

"You weren't going to save him?" Davis asked with a frown.

"No," Harrison admitted with a shake of his head. "So instead of him dying now it's Tru in here. That's why she has to ask me for help, so I can fix this whole mess."

"I'll wait in the office," Davis said nodding to where Tru lay silently waiting. Harrison waited for Davis to leave before walking towards Tru. Jack followed after him and stood at the opposite side of Tru's body.

Together they waited for Tru to turn to one of them.

"It probably won't work if you're here," Harrison pointed out after a minute. "She's hardly going to want to ask _you_ for help."

"You're probably right, one of us should leave the other with Tru," Jack agreed deliberately misunderstanding Harrison's words. "You go wait with Davis."

"Me?" Harrison exclaimed. "You go wait. She's my sister!"

"I have more rewinds than you have," Jack pointed out.

"You act like they're frequent flyer miles," Harrison hissed. "I'm family. I get first try."  
Harrison could tell that Jack was about to argue again but it seemed that Tru was impatient for anyone to help and the air stilled as she opened her eyes. Unlike most bodies she didn't turn her head and she was staring straight up when she spoke the words "save me" and the day rewound once more.

* * *

Jack sat up in bed with a gasp. Reaching for the phone he dialled Harrison's number. 

"Harrison?" he asked as soon as the phone was picked up.

"Jack?" Harrison replied. "How did you get this number?"

"What's Jack calling you for?" he heard Cassie ask in the background.

"I'll explain later," Harrison said before turning his attention back to the phone.

"So now we're on day three," Jack said, foregoing the preliminaries and ignoring Harrison's question. "Today we're calling a truce to save Tru. Agreed?"

"What's in it for you?" Harrison asked, still suspicious.

"If Tru dies for good I never relive another day," Jack admitted. "Let's just say I know how to work the rewind days to my advantage and I don't want to lose them altogether."

"That figures," Harrison replied. "We already figured out neither of you can rewind without the other."

"So we have a truce then?"

"Yeah, we have a truce."

"I'll meet you at Cassie's diner at lunch and we can form a plan of action, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Harrison agreed and put the phone down.

Jack quickly dialled the phone again and called Richard.

He quickly filled him in on everything that had happened, even including his own mistake in altering Matt's plans the previous day.

"So what are you going to do now?" Richard asked, knowing that the whole mess was completely out of his control.

"Well Harrison has no idea that I had a hand in Matt going after Tru," Jack said. "So he and I have a truce so that we can keep Tru alive today."

"But she's not actually in danger now," Richard said as the pieces started to fall into place. "At least no more than she was on the first day when you took out Matt before he got to her."

"But Harrison doesn't know that," Jack grinned.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five **

"Call in sick," Harrison said to Cassie as soon as he had finished explaining the events of the last two days to her.

"You aren't seriously going to trust him are you?" she asked, ignoring Harrison's order.

"I don't see we have a choice," Harrison answered.

"I bet Tru 'd disagree with that," Cassie pointed out. "Why don't you call her and see?"

"I will as soon as you've called in sick," Harrison said, passing her the phone.

"You think that'll change things?" she asked as she dialled the number.

"You were attacked on the way back home for the diner. If you don't go…" his voice trailed off. Cassie nodded as she told the manager she was feeling ill and promised to let him know later on if she would be in the next day.

"Promise you won't leave the apartment," Harrison insisted when she had hung up the phone.

"I don't like the idea of being a prisoner in my own home."

"Neither do I but just until we find him."

"You and Tru?" Cassie asked with a pointed glance at the phone that Harrison had made no effort to pick up to dial his sister.

"Yeah, I'll go meet her at the morgue," he replied with a determined glare into the distance. "And if she even suggests that we try to save him…"

"Be careful," Cassie said as Harrison started to climb out of bed.

"Always am," he replied as turning back to her with a grin and planting a quick kiss on her lips. Snaking her arms around his neck she held him in place as he stood up.

"You call that a kiss?" she teased as she knelt on the edge of the bed and pulled him towards her to demonstrate _her_ idea of what a kiss should be.

"Hmm, much better," Harrison agreed after they had come up for air.

"How long until Tru finishes her shift?"

"A while," Harrison replied.

"Well since I'm not going into work, how about we lie in for _a while_?" Cassie suggested with a smile before kissing him again.

"Tru is safe at work for now," Harrison agreed as he kissed her back and tumbled her backwards onto the bed with a grin. No, he thought, there wasn't really any hurry to get over to the morgue, he could as easily go to her apartment between her shifts.

* * *

"Tru?" Harrison shouted as he banged on his sister's apartment door. "You in?"

"Coming," he heard her call from inside just before the door opened.

Tru looked at him in surprise as he enveloped her in a tight hug. "Not that this doesn't make a nice change to being ignored, but what's going on?" she asked.

"Long story," Harrison answered releasing her and walking over to the sofa. Tru raised an eyebrow as Harrison confessed to her the events of the last two days. The more he spoke, the more guilty he felt. He watched Tru's expression alter from curiosity to surprise, to anger, to shock and finally into an expression he couldn't read at all.

"I died?" Tru asked after he had finally finished.

"Yeah, but not today," Harrison assured her.

"And you have a truce with Jack?" Tru asked with a roll of her eyes.

"It's not like you haven't worked with him before," Harrison pointed out. "He wants to save you so he can carry on reliving days."

"So it's fine to alter fate when it suits him," Tru muttered although she didn't look entirely surprised by the revelation.

"I said I'd meet him at lunch," Harrison said with a shrug. "You stick with us and between the three of us we should manage to keep you alive. Don't worry about the truce. It's only to keep you safe."

"That's not what worries me the most," Tru said as she stood up and went to make some coffee. "What worries me is the fact that he knew you rewound instead of me."

"You think he had something to do with it?" Harrison asked with a frown.

"I don't know," Tru sighed. "Last time he didn't know you had rewound, I'm sure about it. But, from what you said, this time…"

"…this time he did."

"We'll sort that out later," Tru said as she began clattering around the kitchen. "One problem at a time. Cassie's safe?"

"She called in sick and isn't leaving the apartment," Harrison confirmed with a nod as he followed his sister into the kitchen to begin his ritual rifle through the fridge. He spotted one of his favourite desserts hidden towards the back and reached for it, but wasn't quite quick enough and Tru, laughing, playfully slapped his hand away.

"So we're good now?" she asked.

"Yeah," Harrison assured her as he gave her a one armed hug and sneaked the dessert out with his free hand whilst his sister was distracted.

* * *

Jack was already waiting for them when they reached the diner and greeted them like old friends. Neither Tru nor Harrison was impressed with his unusual brand of humour on this particular day.

"All safe and sound are we?" Jack asked. "Everyone alive and well like they should be? Apart from Harrison here of course, who still isn't dead yet."

"Oh good, you noticed that," Harrison replied while looking over the menu.

"So what's the plan of action regarding Matt?" Tru asked. "Any ideas where he is?"

"Been a little busy to find him," Jack replied with a shrug. "Had to get to the bookies and place a bet on a long shot that's running later."

"What's that?" Harrison asked, distracted away from the menu.

"Harry," Tru warned with a frown.

"Aw Tru, you can't keep the reins on him forever," Jack said. "Sooner or later you've got to let him make his own mistakes."

"Hey," Harrison exclaimed with a glare.

"Can we get back to the point?" Tru insisted.

"I don't know where he is," Jack replied, at last acting like he was being serious. "But I know where he will be."

"And?" Tru asked impatiently.

"Right outside of here at the end of Cassie's shift," Jack pointed out. "That's where he attacked her on day one."

"But Cassie isn't working today," Harrison pointed out.

"So I noticed," Jack replied. "It might have been a good idea to run that one past me before you decided to get all protective over the little woman."

"You do realise that Matt has probably noticed already that she's not come into work," Tru commented. "Which means he's probably been and gone on his way."

"And we have no leads at all," Jack agreed. "That's hardly my fault though. I never said she should alter her routine. My entire plan hinged on everything being done _exactly_ the same as on the first day."

"So what now?" Tru asked.

"We figure out where he's likely to be and find him," Jack said with a smile.

"Oh God," Harrison said as he realised where Matt was going to go, as soon as he realised Cassie was not at work. "Cassie!"

He jumped out of his seat and ran from the diner. She would have started her shift an hour ago if she hadn't called in sick and if Matt had been waiting at the start of her shift then he would have gone straight to her apartment. He hoped he was not already too late.

Tru looked at Jack who merely smiled.

"Cassie isn't meant to die today," she hissed at him.

"No, you're right about that," Jack nodded. "She was meant to die some time ago if I recall correctly. A tragic drowning while I was on holiday wasn't it? Fate did try to rectify it with that cursed vase. Looks like it might be third time lucky though."

"You knew Harrison would make her stay home," Tru accused. "You _knew_ this would happen. You knew he'd come here and meet you to save me and leave Cassie open to attack at home."

"Your brother can be rather predictable at times," Jack gloated. "And particularly easy to manipulate when it comes to women."

Tru glared one last time at Jack before she ran outside and hurried after Harrison.

* * *

Harrison was in the apartment with Cassie in his arms when Tru arrived. The scene was horribly similar to another one she recalled not that long ago.

The only difference this time was that Cassie was still alive. She was badly beaten and unconscious but thankfully still breathing.

Tru checked her pulse as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.

"She'll be okay," Tru repeated over and over as her brother sat in silence on the floor.  
She prayed that she was right.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Tru drove to the hospital in a daze. Harrison had gone with Cassie in the ambulance. She hurried into the hospital, looking for her brother amongst the visitors and patients in the emergency room waiting area.

Eventually she saw him in a doorway where a nurse was holding him back to stop him going through them.

"We're doing everything we can for her," the nurse insisted. "But you have to wait out here."

"I can't just _wait_," Harrison answered in an angry and slightly tearful voice as the nurse guided him away from the doors that he couldn't seem to take his eyes off.

"Harrison," Tru called as she hurried across the room. He didn't turn, or even seem to hear her.

She reached him and directed him to one of the seats.

"Are you family?" the nurse asked in a sympathetic tone.

"Yes, she's my wife," Harrison lied, mistakenly believing that they would let him through if he were. The nurse shook her head as he stood up again to move towards the door and he sat back down in disappointment.

"We'll let you know as soon as she's finished in surgery," the nurse assured him. "The doctor's are doing everything they can for her."

Tru nodded and sat down beside Harrison.

"Does she have any family you want me to call?" Tru asked as soon as the nurse had gone back to work. "Her parents?"

"She's on her own," Harrison said with a shake of his head. "That's partly why she moved here, for a fresh start."

"She's not on her own," Tru replied. "She's got you. She's got _us_."

"This is all my fault," Harrison said.

"You didn't know that this would happen if she stayed home," Tru pointed out. "She told me that someone had stepped in when she was attacked on the first day. I forgot that if she was at home, on her own, no one would be able to do that. I should have saved Matt on the second day and this wouldn't have happened."

"You couldn't have known."

"It doesn't make a difference," Harrison sighed. "_I_ decided to leave him to his fate when the day rewound and you ended up dead. If that hadn't happened I wouldn't have called a truce with Jack, and Cassie wouldn't be in there now."

"They're doing everything they can for her," Tru said.

"That's just what they tell people to avoid telling them how bad things are," Harrison muttered.

Tru didn't have anything to say to that. She knew that nothing she could say would make a difference. They sat in silence for a long time as they watched the hands of the clock slowly tick off the minutes, then hours, as they waited for news.

Eventually Tru left Harrison alone with his thoughts and headed to the cafeteria for something to eat. She had had nothing since breakfast and it was now late evening.  
She had tried to persuade Harrison to join her but he had silently declined with a shake of his head.

Yawning slightly, because it had been a long day and having nothing to do but wait always made her sleepy, she pushed open the door to the cafeteria and was shocked to see Jack sitting at one of the tables. She wondered for a moment whether it would be best to simply ignore him but finally decided that it would be better to go and speak with him, if only to warn him to keep his distance from her brother.

"She out of surgery yet?" Jack asked as Tru took a seat across from him.

"Not yet," she replied.

"She's been in there a long time," Jack commented. "That can't be good."

"Why are you here?" Tru bluntly asked.

"Concern for a friend," Jack offered.

Tru let loose a sharp sarcastic laugh.

"You want a coffee?" Jack asked with a nod to the drink machine. "I'll even pay."

Tru shrugged and Jack stood up to get her a drink.

The hot drink was a frequently used beverage at the hospitals for those who had a long time to wait for news. He had heard enough from his own enquiries with the doctors to discover that things were not looking good and it was going to be a while before they had news.

Jack looked back at Tru and seeing that she was looking towards the doorway and not in his direction he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the sedatives he had picked up on the way to the hospital. He poured a couple of the powders into the coffee and waited for it to dissolve. Making sure he added plenty of sugar to mask the taste he hoped that Tru would be too distracted to notice the odd flavour.

With a small smile of satisfaction he returned to the table and placed the coffee in front of her.

"Thanks," Tru said, automatically picking up the cup and taking a sip of the hot drink, too distracted by the events of the last few hours to notice anything unusual about the drink, or the fact that it was Jack who had bought it for her.

"My pleasure," Jack replied with a smile, watching her finish off the coffee without a word.

"I should get back to Harrison," Tru said, placing the cup down and standing up.

"Stay a while," Jack said. "Believe me, he won't notice the difference."

"That's not the point," Tru said sadly. "I should be with him."

"For what it's worth I hope she makes it," Jack offered. He yawned widely knowing that such an action was often contagious and hoping Tru was susceptible.

"Why?" Tru asked with surprise before covering her mouth to hide her own yawn.

"She and your brother have a lot in common," Jack said with a grin. "Both should be dead but stubbornly refuse to stay that way, and while they're together at least they aren't messing up other people's fates."

"You just _can't_ leave it alone can you?" Tru said.

"Plus, she doesn't take any crap from him," Jack said. "He's amusingly hen-pecked these days."

"Yeah, he is, isn't he?" Tru smiled before yawning again.

"You look tired," Jack commented. "Why don't you shut your eyes for a minute?"

"I can't," Tru replied. "What if the day rewinds?"

"You day isn't rewinding though is it?" Jack pointed out. "It's Harrison who needs to stay awake this time, and you and me both know that he's not going to be getting any sleep any time soon."

"You're right," Tru conceded with another wide yawn. She lay her head on the table, telling herself that she'd just shut her eyes for a minute or two.

Jack looked out of the window at the storm that was now reaching its climax. Once he was sure that Tru was safely asleep he stood up quietly and left the room.

* * *

Tru woke up at the tap to her shoulder by a nurse.

"Miss Davies?"

Tru nodded.

"Your brother asked me to get you. His wife is out of surgery and he wants you there when he talks to the doctor."

Tru muddled mind tried to piece together what the nurse was talking about before she remembered her brother's lie about his relationship with Cassie. She rubbed her eyes, nodded, and stood up to follow the nurse.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall she realised that she'd been asleep for a couple of hours, and looking out the window she saw that the storm that had raged all evening had passed. She prayed that the crisis was over and that Cassie had pulled through.  
Harrison was sitting in a chair next to Cassie who was still unconscious and hooked up to a frightening number of machines. One part of her brain recognised the various pieces of equipment and realised that it was bad, very bad; another part just couldn't comprehend anything other than the fact that her brother was hurting and there was nothing she could do to ease his suffering.

The doctor came into the room right behind her and the nurse left while he spoke to them.

She tried to listen to all that he was saying but the only thing that she seemed to be able to register was that all they had done was not enough. The machines were keeping her alive but to all intents and purposes Cassie Mitchell was dead; she was never going to wake up and all they could do was say goodbye.

Tru nodded absently and made the appropriate responses to the doctor. She sat down beside Harrison who was holding onto Cassie's hand like a lifeline.

The doctor left them alone in the room to give them the privacy to say goodbye.

"I have to rewind again and stop this," Harrison said.

"Only the dead can ask for help," Jack said from the doorway where he had suddenly appeared. "Can you pull the plug and risk that she _won't_ ask?"

"Get out," Harrison said in a tired voice. Tru looked at her brother. Anger and rage she could have dealt with, but the tired dejectedness she saw on his face was something she didn't know how to handle right now.

"Or are you afraid that she won't ask you for help because you've done such a great job of protecting her so far? Or that she's _supposed_ to be dead, just like you are?"

Tru watched her brother's grip on his girlfriend's hand tighten at Jack's words. "Get out," she said in a quiet hiss and Jack left with a shrug.

"He's right you know," Tru said after he had gone.

"You think I don't know this is _my_ fault?" Harrison exclaimed, finally turning to face Tru. She looked at the hollow look in his eyes and felt her own well up with tears.

"I meant he's right about only the dead asking for help," Tru explained. "Cassie's not actually dead yet. She can't ask anyone for help until she is."

"You're asking me to stand here, and watch her die," Harrison said with a choked sob.  
"You heard the doctor, she's never going to wake up. There's nothing else we can do. She _can_ ask for help, it's not her time to die. She didn't die on the first day or the second and she's not going to die _tomorrow_ either."

Harrison gave a small smile at his sister's determination. "Go get the doctor," he said.  
Tru stood up and hugged Harrison. "I'll be right back."

* * *

Cassie died almost immediately without the life support system. After the doctor had left them alone in the room Tru stood in silence and watched her brother from across the other side of the bed.

"Ask me, you have to ask me," Harrison pleaded over and over.

Tru felt her tears spilling down her cheeks but could not bring herself to even wipe them away.

"Why won't she ask, Tru?" Harrison sobbed. "Why won't she ask for help?"

"I'm sorry Harry," Tru said with a shake of her head. She made to move around the bed towards her brother who had collapsed down into the chair.

Suddenly the air stilled and Tru felt her heart leap. It wasn't too late. She looked at Cassie who turned to her and opened her eyes. "Help me," she whispered a moment before Tru felt the familiar sensation of time rewinding.

Tru opened her eyes, elated that time had rewound, that they had another shot at the day, a chance to put things right.

Her elation only lasted an instant. She wasn't home in her bed and she wasn't reliving the day…or at least not enough of the day.

She looked at the nurse who had shaken her awake again and horror descended over her as she leapt to her feet and ran from the room.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

She found Jack outside the hospital leaning against the wall.

"You knew!" she screamed at him when he turned to look at her. "You know what it is that makes Harrison rewind instead of me. You knew if I fell asleep I wouldn't go back far enough to save her!"

"Clever girl, Tru," Jack said with a smile.

"Well what is it?" Tru yelled. "Tell me what it is."

Jack grinned. "Isn't it turning out to be a nice night?" he asked in a conversational tone.

"I'm warning you," Tru threatened. "What is it that makes the calling pass to Harrison?"

"I'm afraid I don't know all the technicalities," Jack said. "It's a little complicated. So many little factors and things have to be just right."

"Cut the crap," Tru demanded. "Just make him rewind again instead of me."

"Sorry Tru, no can do."

"I'm not asking you, I'm _telling_ you to do this," Tru insisted as she advanced on Jack ready to pummel him into the ground if necessary.

"I couldn't, even if I wanted to," Jack replied. "It really is turning out to be a nice night. You should learn to appreciate nights like this, Tru. Life can be so short."

Tru glared at Jack before realising that in his gloating tone he was telling her exactly what she needed to know. "The storm," she whispered.

"Score two for Tru," Jack grinned. "Pity this round is already over."

"It's too late," Tru said looking up at the almost clear sky. The storm had passed and if Jack was telling the truth, the only chance they had for Harrison to rewind again had gone with it. She wondered if he was lying but in her heart she knew he was telling the truth. There had been a storm the first time Harrison had rewound too; it was too much of a coincidence. It was too late.

"No one can cheat fate forever Tru. Cassie was always on borrowed time."

Tru turned away from her nemesis, her heart heavy and her moves sluggish. She looked at the doors she had to go through in order to face her brother.

She didn't know if she could bear to destroy his last shred of hope.

She wanted to turn and run away from the building as fast as her legs could carry her.

She wanted to forget this day had ever happened.

She recalled the last time she had found her brother with Cassie's dead body. She had rewound and saved her and he had forgotten the grief of losing her. The memory had been lost to him when the day had rewound and only she remembered.

But not this time, this time he would remember too. This time there was nothing she could do to erase the day and start over.

She should have known not to trust anything Jack had said.

She should have known he would have an ulterior motive for everything he said and did.

She wanted to vent her fury on Jack but there would be time enough for that later.

Instead she cursed herself for listening to him in the cafeteria as she walked back through the hospital corridors towards the room where Harrison waited for her to destroy his hopes.

She didn't know what she was going to say to him. All she could hear running through her mind were Jack's parting words…no one can cheat fate forever.

* * *

Tru went blindly through the motions of listening to the doctor again. She waited until he had gone from the room before turning to Harrison.

"I'm sorry, Harry," she whispered.

"She could ask for help," Harrison replied.

"She already did," Tru said as she moved closer. "She asked me for help but it made no difference."

"We can try again," Harrison said, relief written all over his face at the news that Cassie had asked for help after the machines had been switched off. It didn't matter who she asked as long as she lived.

"I'm sorry," Tru said as the tears streamed down her face. "I didn't know she would ask me. I thought she would ask you. I didn't know. If I'd known I wouldn't have…."

"Wouldn't have what?" Harrison asked, a look of dread appearing on his face.

"I fell asleep in the cafeteria," Tru sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"You didn't rewind the whole day?"

"I rewound to when I last woke up. When the nurse woke me to bring me to you in here."

Harrison leaned back in his chair, shaking his head over and over. Tru watched as her brother's tears began to fall. She rarely saw him cry and the guilt at knowing she had caused this made her feel sick to the stomach.

She had been weak, she had let herself be manipulated by Jack and now they were all paying for it.

* * *

"You're looking very pleased with yourself," Richard said as he walked up to Jack who still stood outside the hospital.

"Just got one back," Jack grinned. "Or almost."

"Almost isn't good enough," scoffed Richard.

"Oh this is good enough," Jack replied.

Richard listened as Jack filled him in.

"Better late than never," Richard commented when Jack had finished updating him.

"Admit it," Jack said. "I not only managed to repair the damage of the second day, I managed to win one back for us too."

"It took you three tries to get that one and she's not dead yet," Richard pointed out.

"Oh, I don't know," Jack said with a glance at his watch. "I think they might have pulled the plug by now."

"And if she asks for help again?"

"Then Tru 'll rewind a couple of hours and be too late again. Even she will give up eventually."

"My daughter will never give up."

"You think she'll carry on watching Harrison live through the suffering of watching his girlfriend die, over and over again, forever? Knowing that she will never be able to go back far enough to alter things?"

Richard stood in silence. Nodding once he turned on his heel to go inside.

Jack grinned. Even if Richard wouldn't admit it, they both knew that this round was won.

* * *

Tru sat in the waiting area while Harrison sat with Cassie. The doctor had been and gone and she knew from the previous day that Cassie had died forty-five minutes ago. She wondered how long it would be before Harrison gave up his vigil and accepted the fact that Cassie was gone.

She knew from her own experience, that time didn't seem to exist when you were waiting for a loved one to ask for help.

She had phoned Davis to tell him what was happening and not to expect her at work for at least a few days. He had offered his condolences and apologised that there was so little he could say or do to help. What else could he say? Nothing would help. She had also phoned her father to tell him what was had happened. She looked up now as he approached her.

"How is he?" Richard said as he sat down beside her.

"Not good," Tru whispered with a shake of her head. "He's still in with her."

"I'll go talk to him," Richard said as he patted Tru's arm. "You wait here." Tru nodded, gave him directions, and watched her father as he turned down the corridor in search of his son.

* * *

Harrison sat by Cassie's bedside long after the doctor had left. Tru had stayed outside at his request. He had hoped that perhaps without Tru being with him Cassie would ask him for help. He had listened without really hearing as she had explained to him about the storm being connected to his rewinds. He remembered the storm on the other occasion he had rewound and although he hadn't made the connection at the time he now realised that it did make sense. Unfortunately the storm had passed over hours before and Cassie's silence was the only confirmation he needed that his rewind day was well and truly over.

He knew that Tru was waiting for him outside but he could not bring himself to leave the room.

Instead he talked quietly to Cassie, telling her of all the things he had hoped they would do and remembering the good times they had had together. He told her about the surprise he was planning for her birthday next month and promised that he would find a job if she would only give him a chance to fix things.

He didn't hear his father come into the room and only noticed his presence when he sat down in the seat beside him.

Neither said anything for a long time.

"It will get easier," Richard said. "When your mother was killed I didn't think I'd ever get over it."

Harrison frowned and looked at his father. He didn't need to say anything to convey his feelings about his father's comment. They both knew that Richard Davies had been seeing another woman before Elise had died. He had later married that same woman and cast his three eldest children aside in the process. It was only recently he had decided to try and make up for the past mistakes.

"This is different," Harrison finally said. "This is all my fault."

"Did you do this to her?" Richard asked. "Of course you didn't. That means this isn't your fault any more than it's mine or Tru's or anyone's, except the man that did this to her."

"I could have stopped it," Harrison sobbed.

"There's nothing you could have done," Richard consolingly, putting his arm around his son. "Let's get you home."

Harrison shook his father's arm off, refusing to move from his seat.

"Okay," Richard said, standing up and walking to door. "I'll be outside with Tru when you're ready. Take your time son."

Harrison nodded in silence and Richard left the room.

* * *

It was another hour before Harrison emerged from the room to find Tru sitting patiently in the waiting area.

"Dad's waiting outside," Tru said as her brother sat down beside her.

"Oh God, Tru," Harrison sobbed. "What have I done?"

Tru opened her mouth to tell him that everything would be all right but closed it again without speaking. From the look on her brother's face nothing was going to be all right for a long time. There was nothing she could say that would make a difference right now, nothing that could make up for her error in trusting Jack. The guilt she felt doubled each time she looked at her heartbroken brother.

"It's not your fault," she finally said. "Are you ready to go home?"

Harrison's face paled and Tru swore at herself for her tactlessness. "You can stay at my place," she amended. "For as long as you need."

"Thanks Sis," Harrison whispered giving her a tight hug. She squeezed him back hard enough that she could feel his chest shaking with silent sobs.

Together they stood up and steadying each other they left the room. Tru tried to ignore the sympathetic glances cast in their direction from the other visitors and staff in the room. Just make it out the room she told herself, one foot in front of the other and then we'll be outside and on our way home. The day would soon be over if they could just make it outside and away from the hospital.

The day would be over but she knew inside that things would not look better in the morning. Once again her so-called gift had let her down, once again the gift had become a curse. Only this time it was her brother who was going to be suffering through the long days to come. She resolved that she would be there for him as he had been there for her after Luc's death. She couldn't make it right but she would be there for him to help him get through this.

The End


End file.
